List of Supported devices

[nickk]

Just got the new Fire TV 4K (2023 non-Max) set up.

It supports AC4 to EAC3/AC3/PCM "passthrough" and it provides an AC4 system codec.

If you set the Speaker Configuration in the HDHomeRun app to Digital Passthrough it will use the AC4 "passthrough" mode. If you set "5.1 Surround Sound" it will use the AC4 system codec. Both modes should work.

Nick

[signcarver]

This is beginning to be the first firetv stick I've liked in a long time, hdhomerun app seems really snappy just wish firetv devices supported cablecard drm then it easily "could" replace most of my other android/Google tv boxes/sticks/dongles. I'll be trying the regular (non max) one next weekend

[spencer777]

Just got the new Fire TV 4K (2023 non-Max) set up.

It supports AC4 to EAC3/AC3/PCM "passthrough" and it provides an AC4 system codec.

If you set the Speaker Configuration in the HDHomeRun app to Digital Passthrough it will use the AC4 "passthrough" mode. If you set "5.1 Surround Sound" it will use the AC4 system codec. Both modes should work.

Nick

Passthrough works, although it's much lower in volume. Setting it to 5.1 doesn't, I think my receiver has to support AC4 for it to work. Can you add the Digital passthrough option to the Apple tv app?

[spencer777]

MAT not necessarily supports AC4 but it is used for Atmos and I believe transcoding... the codecs list AC3 (Dolby Digital) / EAC3 (Dolby Digital Plus) / Atmos(DDP+JOC) / AC4(Atmos) / Dolby TrueHD (Atmos)

Just getting HDHomeRun installed on my new 4k Max and trying out the ATSC 3 channels... though nickk stated he was getting one, I turned diagnostics on incase someone at SD wishes to take a look... also discovered we now have a second station in phoenix that is encrypted as now both CBS and NBC are.

This is what I found out so far
Dolby MAT might be defined as an encode/conversion/transport/conversion/decode process, a “bridge” created between compatible Dolby MAT devices for any of the three codecs Dolby has designated to deliver Dolby Atmos content to the home, Dolby Digital Plus/JOC, Dolby TrueHD, and with ATSC 3.0 tuners, Dolby AC-4

Current available sources with Dolby MAT encoders are streaming devices Apple TV 4K with tvOS12 up through current, Roku Ultra 4K, Amazon Fire TV Cube, Nvidia Shield (2019 and later), and Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (through TVs with Dolby Atmos certification). Content providers supporting Dolby Atmos include Vudu, Netflix (the Netflix Premium tier is required), HBO Max, and Disney Plus. Game consoles include XBOX One X/S and Sony PS4 (PS4 for Blu-ray Disc playback only). Televisions with ATSC 3.0 tuners in markets with broadcasting use the Dolby AC-4 codec to receive Atmos 7.1.4, plus a dialog enhancement feature called Voice Plus. Volume-leveling is included with the codec, called Real Time Loudness Leveler.

The Apple tv 4k should work if there is a passthrough option.

[foxbat121]

Dolby MAT is basically multi-channel PCM plus Atmos object data. Apple TV 4K is practically the only device use it because Apple refuses to support any pass-through.

Support of Dolby MAT has nothing to do with support of AC-4. Two are unrelated. I'm pretty sure Apple TV 4K does not support AC-4 at all.

[nickk]

Passthrough works, although it's much lower in volume. Setting it to 5.1 doesn't, I think my receiver has to support AC4 for it to work.

Passthrough doesn't actually passthrough - it converts to EAC3, AC3, or PCM.

Can you please turn on "send diagnostic information" in the HDHomeRun app and repeat the test with the speaker configuration set to "5.1 Surround Sound".

Can you add the Digital passthrough option to the Apple tv app?

Apple does not support passthrough.

[spencer777]

Dolby MAT is basically multi-channel PCM plus Atmos object data. Apple TV 4K is practically the only device use it because Apple refuses to support any pass-through.

Support of Dolby MAT has nothing to do with support of AC-4. Two are unrelated. I'm pretty sure Apple TV 4K does not support AC-4 at all.

I'm definitely getting true surrounded on my Apple tv 4k, Mat must be doing some sort of encoding of AC4 through Channels DVR.

[spencer777]

Passthrough works, although it's much lower in volume. Setting it to 5.1 doesn't, I think my receiver has to support AC4 for it to work.

Passthrough doesn't actually passthrough - it converts to EAC3, AC3, or PCM.

Can you please turn on "send diagnostic information" in the HDHomeRun app and repeat the test with the speaker configuration set to "5.1 Surround Sound".

Can you add the Digital passthrough option to the Apple tv app?

Apple does not support passthrough.

Diagnostics are on. I've been watching and recording Fox atsc 3.0 through Channels DVR and Hdhomerun app. My receiver is set to auto. Channels plays in 5.1, the Hdhomerun doesn't. This is on my Apple tv first generation 4k.

[nickk]

Diagnostics are on. I've been watching and recording Fox atsc 3.0 through Channels DVR and Hdhomerun app. My receiver is set to auto. Channels plays in 5.1, the Hdhomerun doesn't. This is on my Apple tv first generation 4k.

This is the expected behavior. The HDHomeRun app works differently to the Channels DVR app.

The HDHomeRun app uses the AC4 support that is built into the player device. If there is no AC4 support the HDHomeRun app falls back to using our cloud transcode service which transcodes to stereo audio. This thread discusses player devices with built in AC4 support (which reminds me I should edit the first post and add player devices that have been released more recently with AC4 support).

I believe the Channels app does software decode of AC4 using the ffmpeg-fork implementation.

[Cabal]

which reminds me I should edit the first post and add player devices that have been released more recently with AC4 support

Would you mind adding:

SEI804 series (Homatics/Dune/RockTek/Nokia)

?

Thanks.

[spencer777]

Xumo stream. This is the joint Xfinity/ Spectrum streaming box. Not sure if it's a closed ecosystem, but specs say it supports AC4

[pkscout]

Xumo stream. This is the joint Xfinity/ Spectrum streaming box. Not sure if it's a closed ecosystem, but specs say it supports AC4

My mother-in-law is in Spectrum territory and got sent some info on this box. I did some more digging. It is completely closed (at least from an app perspective). As in you can't install any apps on it at all. It comes with what it comes with and that's it (unless Spectrum decides to add something).

[Cabal]

I can confirm native AC-4 support with both

SEI804 series (Homatics/Dune/RockTek/Nokia)

and

Xiaomi TV Box S 2nd Gen

Could they be added to the second post, perhaps?

[signde]

Picked up the latest (2023) Amazon Fire TV stick 4K Max today.

The two remaining major networks in ATSC 3.0 here that have not enabled DRM are now using 5.1 channel audio that I wanted to leverage.

Initial runs of the app with no audio configuration, passthrough, and 5.1 surround all resulted in some flavor of PCM that was various levels of terrible. One option was low volume, one was high volume with crazy boomy bass, and all had bad 5.1 mixing / sounded heavily compressed.

Changed AFTV stick surround sound settings from the default of best available to Dolby Digital Plus, changed HDHR app output to passthrough. AVR is now showing 5.1 channels of DD+ audio input and everything sounds perfect. I think the default AFTV audio setting must be useless.

Quite pleased with the results here.

[EddieP]

Picked up the latest (2023) Amazon Fire TV stick 4K Max today.

The two remaining major networks in ATSC 3.0 here that have not enabled DRM are now using 5.1 channel audio that I wanted to leverage.

Initial runs of the app with no audio configuration, passthrough, and 5.1 surround all resulted in some flavor of PCM that was various levels of terrible. One option was low volume, one was high volume with crazy boomy bass, and all had bad 5.1 mixing / sounded heavily compressed.

Changed AFTV stick surround sound settings from the default of best available to Dolby Digital Plus, changed HDHR app output to passthrough. AVR is now showing 5.1 channels of DD+ audio input and everything sounds perfect. I think the default AFTV audio setting must be useless.

Quite pleased with the results here.

Thanks I was getting out of sync audio your suggestion above fixed for me on my new FireTV max.